Chu Wan was young and easily fooled, and did not realize that there was a difference between reprimanding someone to their face and talking about them behind their back. She slowly turned her head to look at the Empress Dowager.
Her round eyes were full of confusion, and tears still clung to her small, round face, making her look both pitiful and adorable.
The Empress Dowager clapped her hands twice and opened them again: "Come here, let your grandmother hug you. Don't be afraid if your mother is away and you can't see her. Your grandmother and aunt will love you."
For innocent and naive children, they may not be able to perceive the malice of others, but they are quickest and most direct to receive kindness from others.
Without even thinking, Chu Wan immediately opened her little arms and rushed back into her grandmother's arms, still managing to whine in her childish voice, "Wanwan loves her grandmother too."
In the end, Chu Wan was still a child. With her family doting on her and coaxing her, she slept comfortably all night. When she woke up the next morning, she had completely forgotten about yesterday's events and was full of energy, pestering Chu Yao to take her off the boat to play.
Chu Yao carried her across the boat, picked up Wushuang, and led her to Guanqian Street, holding one hand in each.
The so-called Guanqian Street is the street in front of Xuanmiao Temple. The temple is always bustling with devout men and women, so Guanqian Street is naturally crowded and lively. Many vendors and merchants have taken advantage of this and set up stalls and shops here.
With Chu Yao accompanying them, Wu Shuang and Chu Wan naturally enjoyed their shopping to the fullest. Whatever they wanted, they only needed to gesture their lips or wave their hands, and he would immediately pay for it generously.
The two little ones shared the same taste, both loving snacks. One carried a bag of zongzi candies, the other held a box of fresh meat mooncakes, beaming as they took a bite themselves, then fed each other a bite in perfect unison, before raising their little hands together for their sugar daddy, Chu Yao, to try some.
As Chu Wan approached the Taoist temple, her gaze was drawn to a young girl kneeling in the center of the square.
The girl was about eleven or twelve years old, with delicate features. Although her clothes were patched, they were very clean. The Xuan paper spread out in front of her was covered with dense writing.
Chu Wan was illiterate and couldn't read, so she couldn't understand. She whispered to Wushuang, "What is this sister doing?"
Wushuang explained to her, "She said her name was Qi Lan. Her father died suddenly from an illness. After the funeral, she not only had no money left, but also incurred debts. She also had a seven-year-old brother who was waiting for food, so she wanted to sell herself into slavery to earn money to support her brother."
"Oh, is this the silver that my brother just used?"
Chu Wan was born in the royal palace and grew up in the royal residence. Whatever she wanted, she only had to ask and someone would bring it to her. Today was the first time she learned that taking food from a vendor was called "buying," and that she had to pay money for it.
After receiving Wushuang's affirmative reply, she looked up at Chu Yao and said, "Brother, pay!"
"You want to buy her back?" Chu Yao asked.
You shouldn't bring people of unknown origin into your home.
Chu Wan blinked her big eyes, puzzled, and asked, "Why would I buy her?"
That's a person, not candy or cake; you can't eat it if you buy it.
"Why pay if you're not going to buy it?" Chu Yao said with amusement.
“She’s short of money,” Chu Wan answered casually, then suddenly remembered something and stammered, “Brother, is our family short of money?”
If you yourself are struggling to put food on the table, you probably can't help others.
Chu Yao said, "Don't worry, your brother wouldn't sell himself to support you."
"That means she doesn't need anything!" Chu Wan jumped up excitedly. "Then give her some so she can eat."
Chu Yao raised an eyebrow helplessly. He didn't want to get involved in such matters at all, but since his sister asked, and it wasn't a bad thing anyway, he would just do as she asked.
He took out a silver ingot and handed it to Chu Wan: "Go ahead, pay for it yourself."
Chu Wan held the silver ingots in both hands and walked up to Qi Lan, saying, "Here's the money for you."
Qi Lan did not accept it immediately, but instead bowed and kowtowed, addressing Chu Wan as "Master".
Chu Wan's eyes widened, and she said, "I...I really don't want to eat you."
She didn't have a proper understanding of the uses of money; she only thought that everything bought was food...
Chu Yao chuckled a few times, and under Wu Shuang's tugging, he had no choice but to help explain: "My sister just wants to help you out of your immediate predicament. We don't lack servants at home, so you just need to take the money back and buy some land to collect rent, or do some small business. In short, find a way to make a living for yourself and your brother."
Qi Lan repeatedly emphasized that she wanted to earn her own living rather than take other people's money for free, but Chu Yao refused to take her away, so she had to give up in the end and just kept kowtowing to express her gratitude.
Across the street, in a carriage draped in green silk curtains, He Yao lifted the curtains, taking in the entire scene.
She beckoned to the guards accompanying her and ordered, "Follow that woman and bring her and her brother here."
Chapter Index 38 | 36, 35, 34, 33.1
Chapter Thirty-Eight:
As the saying goes, time flies when you're having fun, and Wushuang and the other two strolled around until dusk before embarking on their journey home.
The carriage stopped outside the dock. Chu Yao jumped down first, then carried Wu Shuang and Chu Wan out in turn.
Chu Wan, being a child at heart, was having so much fun that she didn't want to part with her friend. She hugged Wu Shuang and said in a childish voice, "Shuangshuang, don't go. Sleep with me tonight, okay?"
"Okay, sure." Wushuang agreed readily.
She already found Chu Wan adorable, and seeing her take the initiative to help Qi Lan today made her feel even more that Chu Wan was kind-hearted, generous, and a friend she could make close friends with.
"Brother, brother!" Chu Wan jumped up excitedly, rushed over and hugged Chu Yao's leg proudly, "Shuangshuang is sleeping with me today."
Chu Yao patted his little sister's constantly shaking head, smiled, and bent down to Wushuang, saying, "Do you want to sleep with me? Didn't you say I'm very warm, even more comfortable than hugging a hot water bottle?"
Oh no, how could my brother steal my Musou?!
Chu Wan protested, "I...I'm warm too!" She touched Chu Yao's palm with her little hand and found that her brother's temperature was slightly higher than hers. She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, afraid that Wu Shuang would choose Chu Yao instead of her. However, she was naturally naive and didn't know how to talk. She just pouted and looked at Wu Shuang with a hopeful expression.
Wushuang didn't want to disappoint her, so she deliberately said, "I like Wanwan's fragrance." As she spoke, she glanced at Chu Yao, "I won't sleep with a stinky man."
Chu Yao raised an eyebrow, about to say something more, when Wu Shuang cleverly pulled Chu Wan away and ran off.
The two girls hadn't run far when they encountered Lu Zhenniang and her son getting off another carriage.